The Hypothalamic pituitary axis-1

Anterior pituitary gland

Dr Harprit Singh
Harprit.singh@dmu.ac.uk

Learning Outcomes
Understand the layout of the
hypothalamus and pituitary gland
Describe the hormones secreted by the
hypothalamus and how they regulate
anterior pituitary hormones.
Explore detail structure and function of
anterior pituitary hormones and targeting
tissue

Hypothalamus
Controls many activities related to homeostasis
Principal intermediary between nervous system
and endocrine system
Has several important
pituitary gland.

connections

with

the

Regulates the secretion of hormones from the

pituitary

Hypothalamus Hormones &

Action
Hormone

Action on anterior
pituitary gland

Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
(TRH)

Release of thyroid stimulating

hormone (TSH)

Gonadotropin-Releasing
Hormone (GnRH)

Release of leutinizing hormone

(LH) and follicular stimulating
hormone (FSH)

Corticotropin-Releasing
Hormone (CRH)

Stimulates adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH) release

Growth Hormone-Releasing
hormone (GHRH)

Release of Growth hormone

Somatostatin

Inhibits release of Growth

hormone

Hypothalamus Hormones &

Action
Hormone
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH;
vasopressin)
Oxytocin

Action on distant tissues

via posterior pituitary
gland

PITUITARY GLAND
Pituitary (hypophysis) gland - attached to the
hypothalamus via a stalk - the INFUNDIBULUM
Only 1.3cm in diameter
Divided structurally into 2 parts;
Anterior lobe - ADENOHYPOPHYSIS - 75% of
total mass
Posterior lobe - NEUROHYPOPHYSIS

Hypothalamus/Pituitary

Mescher AL: Jungueiras Basic Histology: Text & Atlas, 12th Ed

AP
PP

Human pituitary H&E x50 AP (anterior), PP (posterior)

Blood supply
Blood supply to the pituitary gland are through superior and
inferior hypophyseal arteries
The superior hypophyseal arteries
hypophyseal portal vein that consist of:
PRIMARY PLEXUS
SECONDARY PLEXUS

feeds

into

the

Mescher AL: Jungueiras Basic Histology: Text & Atlas, 12th Ed

Hypothalamus-Adenohypophysis
communication
Neurones of the dorsal, ventral media and infundubular
nuclei extend their axons to the primary plexus of
hypophyseal portal vein
Neurohormones get released from end terminus of axon
and enter primary plexus.
These hormones then travel down to secondary plexus
where they get released and act on endocrine cells of pars
distalis.
Endocrine cells release relevant hormones into secondary
plexus which then enters circulation

Felner, E.I. and Umpierrez, G.E. (2013) Endocrine

pathophysiology. 1st ed. Baltimore: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott

Regulation of HPA

Felner, E.I. and Umpierrez, G.E. (2013) Endocrine pathophysiology. 1 st

ed. Baltimore: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Hormone producing cells

Cell Type

Stain
Affinity

% of Total Hormone
Cells
Produced

Somatotropic
cells

Acidophilic

50

Growth
Hormone

Mammotropic
or actotropic
cells

Acidophilic

15-20

Prolactin

Gonadotropic
cells

Basophilic

10

FHS
LH

Thyrotropic
cells

Basophilic

TSH

Corticotropic
cells

Basophilic

15-20

ACTH

Melanotrophs

Chromophobe

MSH

GROWTH HORMONE
Single chain 191 amino acid polypeptide
GH causes cells to grow and multiply - increases
rate at which amino acids enter cells and are
built into proteins
Acts particularly on skeletal muscle and bone
Promotes fat catabolism (burn fats for energy)
Accelerates rate at which glycogen (in liver) is
converted into glucose

Regulation of Growth Hormone

Hypothalamus
called:

releases

Growth hormone
(GHRH)

two

regulating

releasing

factors

factor/hormone

Growth hormone inhibiting factor (GHIF or

somatostatin)

Action of Growth Hormone

Actions of GH on growth are mediated by growth
promoting substances known as Insulin-like Growth
Factors (IGF)
Small peptides made in liver under influence of GH
Structurally similar to insulin
Growth-promoting effects much more potent than insulin

Exercise, stress, sleep

hypoglycaemia
GHRH

Somatostatin

Growth hormone

Increase
blood
glucose

Liver

IGF-1

Bone,
muscle &
tissue
growth

Hypothalamus

Ant Pituitary

THYROID-STIMULATING
HORMONE (TSH)
Also called thyrotropin
Stimulates synthesis and secretion of hormones produced by
the thyroid gland
Secretion controlled by regulating factor produced by
hypothalamus: Thyrotropin releasing factor (TRF)

Cold stress, exercise, pregnancy

GHRH

Somatostatin

TSH

Hypothalamus

Ant Pituitary

TSH
GPCR
T3 T4

Thyroid

cAMP
Release of T3/T4

Action of Thyroid hormones

Cardiovascular
Increase CO, HR and SV
Metabolic
Increase basal metabolic rate
Increase O2 consumption
Neurological
Increases wakefulness, memory, alertness
Growth and development
Bone growth after birth

Stress, exercise, hypoglcaemia

Corticotropin releasing hormone

ACTH

Hypothalamus

Ant Pituitary

ACTH
GPCR
Adrenal
cortex
Cortis
ol

cAMP
cortisol

Cortisol
Cortisol is stress hormone
Maintain blood glucose level
Maintain glycogen levels in liver
Stimulates protein catabolism in muscle
Lipolysis in adipose tissue
Name another hormone released by
adrenal gland?

MELANOCYTE-STIMULATING HORMONE (MSH)

Stimulates the dispersion of melanin granules in
melanocytes
Low levels of hormone = pale skin
High levels of hormone = darkening of the skin
Regulated by:
Melanocyte-stimulating hormone releasing factor (MRF)
Melanocyte-stimulating hormone inhibiting factor (MIF)

ANY QUESTIONS